Today, as usual, Irene works in the big house. Victor is not at home, but before he leaves he asks her to tidy up his personal library. And when she got there, she certainly realizes that the library definitely needs urgent arrangement.
The mess in there is just like the library is being robbed. Making her shake her head. Even, she actually already packed up there just last week.
Slowly, without complaining, she picked up one by one the books that scattered on the floor.
To say that she is happy working there, is not really that. Because her relationship with other maids is not that good. But, after looking at her bank statement, unconsciously a smile crept on her face. Well, she just normal human being. Money is not everything, but to live, everything needs money.
She also holds out because of Victor. The man is really keeping his promise this time. No more weird work, or pressuring. If there is nothing she need to do he just ask her to keep him company while he is working. In that huge house. Like he doesn't have anything else to do other than working.
It turns out that her assumption is true that the man is really workaholic. She never saw the man is wasting his time. But it also means that his life contains too much burden. At least that what she is feeling. But she never said that to him.
Talk about what the other maids done to her, she then remembers her first day.
The first day she was there she had heard cheap gossip about herself from other maids. It seems that most of them are not satisfied with the responsibility entrusted to her, namely 'the special maid' which is directly serving the great Mr. Victor.
They said that she sold her body to get the man's attention just because she is young and pretty. Well, if that's so easy why they didn't throw themselves to the man and see by themselves if the theory is correct? But, she is thankful by the 'pretty' term. At least someone praises her appearance which is not happening always.
And her first day continues with that all kinds of 'not so nice' gossip. She just let the words pass away. As long as they don't mess up with her life, she's too lazy to entertain that childish behavior. But, she didn't get it at all. Why all of the girls go far like that just to get the man's attention?
Well, money, good look and everything that the man has surely a temptation. Irene nodded her head, agreeing with her own opinion in silence.
Though she determine to not want to think about the gossip, the gossip getting bigger and bigger making she her head ache. She didn't know if Victor heard about the story, but if he did, he definitely didn't care when she saw how big the story now are.
By then, one day, she is coming face to face the core of the problem. Melissa, the 30 years old maid who seem to have her eyes on Victor. But, Victor never ever acknowledges her existence. Irene know, Melissa feeling is unrequited as whenever she is talking, Victor just keeps ignoring.
Also, Irene knows very well who is the person that the man like. He is easy to read now. Even she cannot return his feelings, he still there. Waiting.
So, in the garden, where Melissa and some other maids is gardening. Planting a flower tree that is said to be Victor's favorite, Irene confronts her there.
"Melissa, can I have a minute?" Irene asking. Still with the low note.
"What? Didn't you see that I was busy? " Melissa said being indifferent to Irene.
"Why did you tell people story that not true? About me?" Irene ask.
She actually didn't really care, but when all the people in the villas start ignoring her, also the security guard that is usually nice to her suddenly become cold. She knows she can't just leave this thing alone now.
Melissa was now standing in front of her while holding a small vase filled with soil that she had just filled.
"I said I'm busy. Don't you understand that simple word? But, why are you getting angry all of sudden? The story must be true looking at your work up like this. Whore!"
What Melissa just said definitely press the red button inside Irene.
"You should know spreading slander to others is also a crime."
"Blah... blah... blah... Do you think I care? I just said what I saw. What is wrong with that? And all people here want to believe in me. How can I stop that?
Irene began to grip her hand. If she hadn't thought much she would have punched the demon in the mouth right there right now.
"What do you actually see? Making you convey cheap gossip here and there? You are here to work. So am I. Do your job properly and mind your own business. Is that hard to do? You are old enough to be my aunt and yet you are behaving like a baby." Irene doesn't want to use a better language to Melissa now. She will give her the same service.
"Aunt? What did you say?" Melissa is enrage now. No one ever said that to her. Telling her like an 'aunt' has been just like slapping her face of the 'old women' terms. Which she didn't like it at all.
"Why? You didn't like it? I just told the truth." Irene just gives back what the women give her.
Melissa then does something unexpected, she throws the vase that she holds to Irene, but luckily Irene saw it coming and dodged.
"What are you doing? You can hurt me!" Irene, who is shocked, screaming for Melissa. But Melissa face right then still looks unhappy with her.
But, right then Melissa suddenly acted like she was crying. Completely change of character. Makes Irene frown not understanding what is going on.
"Why are you knocking the vase? Don't you know it's worth thousand of money? You can just talking to me nicely." Melissa said while her hand wiped away the tears that were falling.
"What are you talking about?" Irene still doesn't understand.
Suddenly Melissa ran behind her. She realized that at that moment there was Victor standing there, watching their performance.
"Mr. Victor, Irene is not happy with me because of something and confront me about that at once interfering with my work. When I don't want to listen she make the vase break and talk to me with bad words. Right everyone?" Melissa is still with her acting. Try asking for the sympathy of the man and the other maids who in there.
Everyone there who watched their fight not in the slightest attempt to defend Irene, but neither of them also sided with Melissa's accusations against her.
Melissa knows that Victor doesn't like it when his employees are careless at work. She had witnessed that there was an employee before that who broke a vase more valuable than that and was immediately fired by Victor. She hopes Victor believes her trick and Irene will definitely suffer the same fate.
"Please help me Mr. Victor. She keeps asking me this and that which I never know about. And accuse me recklessly." Melissa still cries.
Irene just chuckled. Feels nauseous to see the acting that is clearly perform by amateur.
But, Victor approached Irene right then and said,
"Are you hurt?"
Irene was also stunned for a moment. Victor unabashedly held both her shoulders and inspected her carefully. Trying to find if she got hurt somewhere.
"I'm... I'm fine." Irene said. Stuttered for a moment. But, looking at Melissa's face right then making Irene got another idea.
"I'm fine, but I feel nauseous now." Irene now started acting, which making Victor smirk in knowing.
"Why?"
"There's some old worm popping up in that soil. Making me feeling gross looking at it. So, let's get back inside. I'm afraid if the worm got some poison or something."
With that Irene grab Victor hand and walk away from there. Leaving the furious Melissa there with her unsatisfied face.
But looking at Victor, who is in joy, making Irene feel a bit regret. This is the first time she is holding his hand. Which she also never thought it would happen. Clearly the man is enjoying that.
"Irene!"
A call from one of the employees there at once erased Irene memory of what had happened during her work before. Now, things were a bit quiet but she knew Melissa must be planning something for herself. People like that will never stop there. Revenge is sure coming next.
Irene opened the library door. Because the others maid could not enter the area, so she had to go out to find out what was going on.
"What's wrong?"
"Something happens downstairs. Please hurry!" The maid seems inrush and panic. She then runs downstairs, leaving the confused Irene stood there.
Sigh.
"Well... Let's see what happen. I don't have a good feeling on this."
Irene said while descending the stairs slowly.